1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fuel delivery systems and methods. More particularly, this invention relates to systems and methods for vaporizing fuel for delivery in combustion engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel injection systems are commonly used to deliver fuel in many modern engines because of a number of well-known advantages, such as their ability to efficiently and accurately meter fuel flow and the mixture of fuel and air (air/fuel ratio) delivered to an engine. Fuel injection systems can dramatically improve engine performance while reducing engine exhaust gas emissions.
Vaporized or heated fuel delivery systems are also known for improving the efficiency of combustion engines. Once such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,775 B1. This patent describes a vaporized fuel delivery system for combustion engines that requires a bubbler fuel tank in order to produce a source of vaporized fuel. The fuel is pulled into the intake port of the combustion source by vacuum.
However, the prior art system is designed for engine with a carburetor fuel supply system. The fuel processor of the prior art system thus has a number of disadvantages. First, it cannot effectively heat the fuel vapor to increase its internal energy for fuel economy and reduced emission. Second, the system cannot heat the fuel vapor to exert high pressure for fuel injection purposes. Third, the system cannot efficiently produce enough preheated, pressurized fuel vapor swiftly for fuel injection.
Thus, there is a need for new and improved vaporized fuel delivery systems that address and solve the problems associated with prior art systems.